title: What do we do after an implant fails? A review of treatment alternatives for failed implants.
abstract: The problem of failed implants cannot be overlooked. The purpose of this paper is to explore treatment alternatives for failed implants and their strengths and shortcomings. A comprehensive literature search was performed using PubMed and a manual search. Only five studies were identified that explored treatment in sites where implants had failed. In all five studies, the treatment alternative tested was the placement of a new implant in the failed site. The overall survival rate for such implants ranged from 71% to 92.3%. Four other alternatives are also discussed in light of data derived from other studies on the survival of various treatment strategies. These include: a continuation of the original plan using the remaining implants, modification of treatment to a tooth-supported fixed partial denture (FPD) or to a hybrid tooth-implant? supported FPD, or modification to a removable prosthesis. The selection of an appropriate alternative for failed implants is complex and involves biologic, mechanical, and psychologic considerations along with financial aspects. This should be a team decision with the patient's opinion included.
authors.affiliation: School of Graduate Dentistry, Department of Periodontology, Rambam Health Care Campus, Technion-Israeli Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel. eli_machtei@hsdm.harvard.edu
authors.forename: Eli E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Machtei
mesh_terms: D000044:Dental Abutments; D015921:Dental Implants; D019094:Dental Prosthesis, Implant-Supported; D019232:Dental Restoration Failure; D003779:Denture Design; D003830:Denture, Partial, Fixed; D006801:Humans; D010347:Patient Care Planning; D010358:Patient Participation; D019233:Retreatment; D016019:Survival Analysis
chemical_list: D015921:Dental Implants